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So far we've had a great spring. Lots of dry sunny days, yielding tons of time for all kinds of outdoor activities. It's been great and I for one have taken full advantage of it. I seem to remember that things were very different last Spring, so I decided to check when we started to slip into the rainy pattern that caused last summer to be such as washout. Turns out that the rains really didn't start until early June. So we have a ways to go before we'll know if that pattern's going for a repeat. Let's hope not 'cause I climbed less last summer than I have in the past 15 years and I'm not looking forward to repeating that!
I don't really have a lot to talk about regarding climbing this week. Last week I was really involved in getting myself ready for the annual Crank The Kanc Bicycle Hillclimb. I've raced the hillclimb for the past 7 years and was happy this year to have almost exactly the same time that I had last year. Another year older and not any worse. That's a nice thing! This week, between back to back band rehearsals, household/yard chores and family obligations, I haven't had time to do much more than get out for some short bike rides. Hopefully that will change after the long Memorial Day weekend. At least that's my wish...
Memorial Day, which was originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic General John Logan, and first observed on 30 May 1868. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. It looks as if this is going to be a pretty decent Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully you and yours will enjoy the long weekend. While you're doing so, please take a few minutes out of your day on Monday to remember those citizens who have given their lives so we can be free.
Ice Conditions Report:
Selected Ice Conditions effective April 24, 2024
It's all over for 2023/2024.
Huntington Ravine
OUT
Repentance
OUT
Standard Route
OUT
Dracula
OUT
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
Liquid Flight at Ryles in Cambridge:
My jazz/jam band Liquid Flight (previously known as In House) will be at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge on this Saturday, May 29 at 9:00pm. We play mostly original compositions in a wide variety of styles with lots of group improvisation. For this gig we will be performing basically as a trio with Randy Roos: guitar, Al Hospers: bass and Jared Steer: drums and we will be joined by acclaimed percussionist Jerry Leak. His new CD Cubist is getting some great press and we will be performing one of his tunes. For more info check out his web site here:
Memorial Day (Monday) Bike Ride:
I will be doing a ride on Monday, the day Memorial Day will be
observed, anyone who would like to join in is welcome! We will be leaving from the Sugar Hill gazebo on Conway side of the Kanc at 9AM sharp. We will be riding over the Kanc, into Woodstock and over Gonzo Pass. Down Olivarian Notch to Haverhill, back over Kinsman Notch and then back over the Kanc. This is about 85 miles and 4,000+ feet of climbing. If you wanted to do a shorter ride you can meet us at about 10 at the Lincoln Visitor Center. We will be stopping there for a bathroom break and water top-off. There is a great ice cream shop in Haverhill at about 1/2 way. Any questions or more info please can email at AL@NEBIKES.COM. Please feel free to pass this along to anyone you feel will be interested.
Print Sale Benefits Kismit Rock Foundation:
Sale of Cathedral Ledge and Mount Washington panoramic prints to benefit Kismet Rock Foundation. Local photographer and Kismet Rock Foundation Board Member Brian Post is offering two panoramic prints to benefit the North Conway, NH non-profit. $100 from the sale of each print will be donated to Kismet with a goal of $1700 hoping to be reached by July 1. See this page on Brian's website for ordering information and print previews:
Bug Report:
The BugCON status has gone to a 4 today, Friday. If you're in the woods, out of any breeze or at the base of a climb it can be pretty bad. I suggest bug dope for all...
Peregrine Closings 2010:
To promote successful nesting by NH state-threatened Peregrine Falcons, temporary access restrictions are currently posted at the following New Hampshire cliff sites through August 1, 2010:
Cathedral Ledge (north end only), Bartlett, NH
Eaglet Spire (and adjacent walls), Franconia, NH
Frankenstein (lower south-facing wall), Harts Loc., NH
Holts Ledge, Lyme, NH
Owls Head (see signs on site for closed section), Benton, NH
Painted Walls, Albany, NH
Rattlesnake Mtn. (Summit Cliff only), Rumney, NH
Square Ledge, Albany, NH
Sugarloaf Mtn., Benton, NH
These postings are subject to change as conditions warrant. Printed material suitable for posting will be distributed to field offices, climbing schools, and recreational outlets. Your cooperation is essential to the success of this effort. Share the cliffs with wildlife!
- Chris Martin, Senior Biologist, NH Audubon
April and May are NEClimbs.com month here at Lowe Alpine:
As the snow happily disappears and the sun and warmth bring with it time on the rock and trails, we'd like to enhance your experience with a new pack or accessory. So through May 31st, find the Lowe Alpine product that best suit your needs and enjoy 25% off the entire purchase. Click the link HERE and enjoy...
Mobile Version Of NEClimbs:
Up on one of the Mount Washington Valley's finest crags and want to know what that climb you're looking at is? Or maybe you're on your way up from Boston and want to check out the Ice Report for your upcoming weekend plans. Or more likely, you're at work just want to daydream about your next adventure. Well if you have a smart phone handy, you can get to NEClimbs from anywhere you have cell service. While it doesn't offer every single feature of the site and it's not an "app", in mobile form, it does do a whole lot and is very useful. Here is the live link to the mobile version of NEClimbs:
Check it out and if you have issues on your specific phone, please feel free to let me know.
NEClimbs & White Mountain Report On Facebook:
Join us and LIKE us on Facebook. I'll try and post interesting pix every Thursday and the latest Ice Report in the season, tho certainly not the whole Report. Here's where you can check it out:
Remember - climb hard, ride the steep stuff, stay safe and above all BE NICE,
Al Hospers
The White Mountain Report
North Conway, New Hampshire
Boulder /n./ place close to the ground to practice falling. When climbers aren't climbing, they like to sharpen their skills by bouldering on large rocks located in places frequented by impressionable tourists. Because bouldering is done without protection, the rule is never to climb higher than you'd like to fall. That is why so many climbers stand around discussing boulder problems instead of climbing them.
Climbing is a very dangerous sport. You can get hurt or even kill yourself. When you go climbing, you do so of your own free will. Everything on this site is to be taken with a grain of salt. Don't blame us if you get up some totally heinous route, in over your head and fall and hurt yourself.
